


I Could Call You Home

by HufflepuffPoof



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bisexual Harry Potter, Depression, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Kidnapping, M/M, Minor Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, POV Third Person, POV Third Person Limited
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-05-16 17:26:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14815674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HufflepuffPoof/pseuds/HufflepuffPoof
Summary: After Draco’s mother was kidnapped during the summer, he’d returned to Hogwarts feeling more alone than he’d ever felt before. His new roommate Harry Potter didn’t seem to make his life any easier.





	1. This Could Easily Turn Into Somewhat of a Disaster

 

Professor McGonagall stood above all of the students in long emerald robes, behind the podium.. Before she began her speech she cleared her throat sharply. The whole great hall was silenced as the first years were led in by Filch and Professor Slughorn. The first years were all whispering and pointing, mostly at Potter, but some he noticed were giving Draco scared looks as they pointed. Draco sank down in his chair, he wanted to crawl into the floor and never come out again. Pansy gave him a knowing look and placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Ignore them they have no idea what you’ve been through,” she said in a hushed voice, her breath hitting his neck.  
As the first years were sorted there was a noticeable change in their reactions to placement. There were only 1 or 2 newly sorted slytherins who looked even remotely happy about their placement, and cheering for them was definitely at an all-time minimum. This wasn’t very shocking to Draco but he could tell that many of the older slytherins looked not only uncomfortable but almost upset.  
After the sorting was finished, McGonagall spoke:

“Good evening students, it is a new year at hogwarts, one which will be quite different from usual. Some of your former classmates will be returning as 8th year students due to-” she paused, clearing her throat, “poor academic growth and nurturing. Because of the fact that there only enough rooms in each common room, we will be using the extra set of dormitories located in the dungeons.”  
The students in the great hall began to stir, whispering about all of the returning students.  
“Quiet!” McGonagall ordered. The whispering died down.  
“As I was saying, because of the lack of accommodations, as well as in support of inter-house unity, each house will be split between several rooms. Each student will be paired with another from a different house.” There were some screams of protest from around the hall, most of which were Gryffindors. “SILENCE!!” the great hall became so quiet that you could’ve heard a pin drop. “The list will be announced in your dormitories, which I will lead you to shortly. Now, without further ado, you may begin,” She then held out her hands and ordered the beginning of the feast.  
Draco’s mind was racing. He couldn’t imagine who he was going to be roomed with but whoever it was, he thought, as long as it wasn’t Potter everything would be fine.  
When the food appeared on the tables Draco just stared. His stomach growled. After a few minutes Pansy pushed his shoulder, “you need to eat, Draco.”

Draco just shook his head.  
“Please,” Pansy begged. Draco rolled his eyes and grabbed a slice of bread and ate it.  
Pansy glared at him. “More than that.”  
Draco was annoyed. “I’m fine.”  
Pansy immediately hit his arm as hard as she could.  
“Ow! That hurt, you know!”  
“Good. You need to take care of yourself” Pansy said and began filling his bowl with vegetable stew.  
“I told you I’m fi-  
“No you’re not!” She started loudly then continued under her breath in an angry voice, “you’ve hardly been eating, you’ve barely been sleeping- and don’t try to argue with me I can see the dark circles under your eyes- and I know that you’re crying half of the time- again, don’t try, they’re all red and puffy.”  
Draco opened his mouth to speak then instead began slowly eating the stew Pansy put in front of him. When he had eaten about half of the soup McGonagall called for the 8th years to go to their dormitories.  
   
   
When they reached the dormitories, which had 2 knights with swords crossing guarding the doors who would allow students to enter and exit  by uncrossing them. The first password they received was “strawberry pudding” which confused Draco but also somehow vaguely reminded him of Dumbledore. When Draco thought of Dumbledore his throat tightened and he had flashbacks of the night when his life could’ve been changed. He could have agreed to be helped. He could have dropped his wand and surrendered. Hell, he could have never been the villain again. But Draco only lowered his wand. He allowed death eaters into the school. He allowed Professor Snape to kill Dumbledore, was so conflicted that he could only stare when he was murdered. It should’ve been Draco who killed him, but then why did his death hurt Draco so much?  
Draco shook his head in attempt to push away his thoughts. The extra common room was filled with lavish purple and rose gold couches and lounge chairs around a grand marble fire place, the room was almost modern, as if it had been renovated for the exact purpose of having the 8th years there (which it probably had been), but it was warm and inviting, the exact opposite of the slytherin common room. Draco wondered if this was what the gryffindor common room looked like and immediately shook off that thought.  
When the group of 8th years gathered around McGonagall she began reading off names and rooms. She listed a couple of rooms with ravenclaws and hufflepuffs then got to slytherin and gryffindors. “Ronald Weasley and Blaise Zabini,” Draco was relieved that he at least wouldn’t be rooming with the weasel. McGonagall moved down the list and Draco was getting gradually more and more anxious seeing as one of the only people that wasn’t Draco was Potter. “Harry Potter…” Potter shuffled forward glaring holes through Draco’s head “and Draco Malfoy.”  
Draco couldn’t help but exclaim “What the hell!”  
“Language Mr. Malfoy,” McGonagall responded.  
“I assume you two are adult enough to avoid killing each other for the school year.” Potter was nodding calmly, clearly staring at Draco as if he was a rotten piece of meat while Draco gritted his teeth and nodded slowly, returning the glare.  
She began to list rooms and rules, but Draco stopped paying attention after his room was announced as he was thinking about trying to avoid interacting with Potter as a roommate. He also contemplated not sleeping in the room at all, which honestly would probably have been fine because Draco wasn’t sleeping anyway, and when he did, he would end up feeling worse than he did before the rest. He could feel Pansy’s gaze sharp as he thought this, and couldn’t help but be a little amused by how well she knew him.  
Once McGonagall was done droning on about house unity and rules, Draco immediately headed to his assigned room and collapsed on the bed furthest from the door, which was interestingly decorated in green and silver (the other was red and gold). Draco hadn’t intended to sleep, just rest his tired body but as soon as he laid his aching body on the soft cushions sleep engulfed him.  
   
~ ~ ~  
   
Harry came into his room to find a sleeping Malfoy on the farthest bed, still in robes. Harry grimaced at the reality that he was actually rooming with the biggest prick in 8th year, probably any year really. Harry sighed as he sat down in the chair next to the window, knowing full well that McGonagall probably did this on purpose because she knew anyone else would probably either be murdered or try to murder Malfoy in his sleep. Still, Harry was reluctant to accept the situation particularly considering that he wasn’t rooming with his best friend for the first time in his time at hogwarts. Lost in his thoughts Harry nearly dozed off whilst staring out the window, watching the interesting fish and other creatures swim past. He then looked curiously around the room. It was kind of mismatched considering the wallpaper was purple and bronze (with some animal Harry had never seen before; he assumed it must’ve been magical due to that), as well as gaudy purple carpeting. The rest of the room was decorated according to each boy’s house: the right side’s furniture was warm reds, gold’s and browns; the left side was decorated with cool greens, silvers, and blacks. Harry couldn’t help but have a chuckle at how ridiculous the room looked with the mix of strange colors, it looked almost as if they’d brought in furniture from both sytherin and gryffindor and just threw them in the room. He nearly jumped when Malfoy abruptly gasped and sat up, when Harry looked over Malfoy looked as if he’d been standing in the rain he was so drenched in sweat. Harry didn’t say anything though, he just shrugged it off, must’ve just been a bad dream. He could relate to at least that.  
Malfoy stood up and walked out of the room, seemingly to get fresh air.  
When Harry heard the door close, he got up to change clothes. He chose a t-shirt and flannel pants then pulled back the bed sheets and crawled into the bed. Harry didn’t think that it would be as easy for him to fall asleep as it was but the bed was so soft and warm that Harry wasn’t surprised Malfoy was able to fall asleep with robes on because slumber took him quickly, as well.  
   
Harry’s dream was nothing short of terrible.  
It started with the death of his parents, not something that Harry hadn’t seen in dreams before, still sad, but it stopped affecting him in the way it used to. Maybe now he was just numb to death. The next part of the dream skipped forward to the death of Sirius then went through Dobby, Hegwig, Moody and all of the people he knew who died in the final battle. After he saw Professor Lupin and Tonks the dream fell to black and he saw himself surrounded by his friends. Then one by one each one fell into a hole that suddenly appeared under their feet on the black floor. When Ron (the last person to go) fell through Harry began to fall.  
As soon as the falling started Harry woke up with a jolt.  
When opened his eyes there was light filtering into the room. Dawn. Harry rose from bed, wiping the sweat off of his brow and headed into the bathroom. He noted that Malfoy’s bed was neatly made and his trunk neatly packed. Harry wondered if he’d gotten up early or hadn’t slept, not that Harry cared actually. Unlike his last year attending hogwarts Harry had no intention of focusing on the negative. After all, the war was over. There was nothing else to worry about, right?  
   
After about an hour of sitting in his dorm staring into the bottom of the lake- it was a perspective that was new and exciting and Harry was enjoying every minute of it- Harry decided to venture into the common room, but when he left his room cackling Dean and Seamus were standing in front of Ron’s shared room with Blaise. “Oh god Harry! You’ve- got- to- see- this!” Dean breathed between laughs. Then he heard Ron’s cries. “It’s not funny! Help me you guys! Please!!” Ron begged. Then Harry saw Ron in pyjamas but he still had red and gold sheets behind him. “Wait…” Harry started before he also started laughing. “Yes ha ha very funny, Zabini put a sticking charm on my bed sheets, now, please for the love of god, help me get them off!” Ron wailed. Harry calmed down and went over to where Ron was standing. “How’d you get the sheets off of the bed, mate?” Harry said while removing Ron’s already unbuttoned shirt. “They came off of the bed quite easily just not my bloody clothes,” Ron replied bitterly.  
When Harry had finally finished helping Ron get out of his sticking-charm covered nightshirt, he finally went ahead to the great hall where Hermione was already waiting.  
Everyone in the great hall was bright and happy, it seemed as if the war had never even been a dream. Obviously the Slytherin table looked a wreck, in fact it was almost empty. It seemed almost as if the first years were ashamed.  
Harry sat down across from Hermione and began stacking food on his plate. “Good morning, Harry,” Hermione greeted, obviously irritated that Harry hadn’t said anything as he sat down.  
“Morning Hermione,” Harry replied, mouth full of pancake.  
“Have you received your schedule yet? They’ll be arriving by owl this year. I suppose it’s a little more convenient than passing them out to each student individually. Especially considering Hogwarts is expanding its enrollment” Harry raised his eyebrow as Hermione said this.  
“What do you mean expanding enrollment?” Ron interjected as he sat down next to Harry, who almost was startled by his best friend’s appearance.  
“You dressed quickly,” Harry pointed out, with a snicker.  
“Oh shut up, Harry,” Ron responded, rolling his eyes.  
“What? What happened?” Hermione asked with a look of concerned mix of suspicion.  
“Blaise Zabini put a sticking charm on Ron’s sheets last night,” Harry said for Ron. It was clear that Hermione was trying her damnedest not to laugh, but was unsuccessful.  
“Oi! It’s not funny!” Ron protested at her laughter.  
As she finished her chuckle Hermione said “sorry, sorry. So how’d you get out of it?”  
“He pulled the sheets off with him and got help from me. After I was done laughing, of course,” Harry replied. Ron shot him a glare beside him.  
“Those slytherins are evil. I swear if he does any bloody nonsense ever again, I’m gonna kill him,” Ron vowed in irritation.  
“Oh calm down, it’s not that serious,” Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

“I could’ve never been able to get it off my skin! It could’ve been stuck there forever!” Ron whined.

“Oh calm down Ron,” Harry said with a shake of his head, continuing to eat his pancakes.

Harry wasn’t as hungry as he usually was after the summer because he had been living at grimmauld place and Creature had been making him breakfast every morning.

As Harry finished eating his schedule came in, carried in by Harry’s new owl, Otto, who was another who was another snowy owl, but had an unusual amount of gray feathers.

Harry stroked his owl’s head as he opened his yearly schedule. Usual classes along with the strange new ‘peer tutoring’ on Fridays at 3 in the library which McGonagall must’ve added during the summer.

“Hey, Hermione, do you have this class?” Harry asked and handed her his schedule, pointing to the class.

“Oh yeah. Professor McGonagall told me about it, she asked me for recommendations for people to help. I said you. After all, you were an excellent teacher for the DA,” Hermione said matter-of-factly.

“Ok but only Defense Against the Dark Arts,” Harry replied, “I’m only mediocre at everything else.”

“Oh, rubbish. At least you got good O.W.L.S I got mostly Es and only 1 A,” Ron grumbled.

“That’s because you don’t study,” Hermione responded pointedly.

“Harry doesn’t either!” Ron exclaimed.

Harry shrugged, “Occasionally, but anyway that was 2 years ago! Why should it matter?”

Hermione was shaking her head in exasperation before she slung her bag over her shoulder and got up from the table. “I’m heading to class,” she said, and with her hand on his shoulder, kissed the top of Ron’s head as she passed him.

Harry sighed with a slight twinge of jealousy because of their post-card happy relationship. Harry’s relationship with Ginny had not resumed after the war because she said Harry had changed too much. Harry wouldn’t go out of his house for a week. Hermione brought him at least 4 buckets of ice cream, but after weeks of moping he moved on and his friendship with Ginny was slowly mending.

As Harry and Ron left the school for care for magical creatures with Hagrid they passed a gaunt-looking Malfoy who was laying in the grass next to Pansy Parkinson, staring at Harry and Ron as they passed.

“Someone needs to tell Malfoy his girlfriend’s eying other boys,” Harry growled under his breath.

“They broke up,” Ron replied, “a while ago, actually. He’s _your_ enemy and you didn’t even know that?”

Harry shrugged, “guess I just don’t listen to gossip, like you.”

Ron shoved Harry playfully, “oh sod off, Harry. Hermione tells me all that girly stuff.”

“Sure, whatever you want me to think,” Harry replied with laughter before being shoved again.

 

…

 

Draco had just finished a dreamless nap under a large tree when he heard footsteps behind him. He looked up to see Pansy staring down at him, and rolled over on his side, facing away from her.

"You're skipping class," she commented.

"Very observant, Pansy, thank you," Draco replied icily.

"You need to graduate, Draco," Pansy commented pointedly and sat in the grass beside him.

Draco sighed and sat up. "You just can't leave me alone, can you?"

"Very observant, Draco, thank you," she mocked. Draco glared at her. "You really need to do something about those nightmares," she commented and then laid back in the grass, staring up at the bright blue, cloud-dotted sky.

Draco stretched back beside her, and replied in annoyance, “I’m fine.”

“No you’re not fine. Need a cookie? A trip to the hospital wing?” Pansy asked, only partially concerned; she was more teasing than anything else.

Draco grimaced and propped himself up on his elbows. “You and I both know that’s the last bloody place I’d like to go,” Draco responded, with a look of great distaste on his face.

After 4th year getting injured by bloody Potter’s curse going to the hospital wing had become one of the very last things on his priority list. Though it was good that Madam Pomfrey didn’t ask about his strange injuries and instead gave him some disgusting smelling herbs to place on the wounds as they healed overnight, which stung like a bitch, and ordered him to rest in the hospital wing.

Pansy’s expression sobered. “But in all seriousness you need help,” Pansy replied.

"And what is it you suppose I should do? There's not really anyone who'd listen to me of all people."

Pansy pouted, "I listen!"

"I'm very aware but I'm not keen on taking your advice," Draco said and then shrugged.

Pansy looked incredibly offended. "Fine then you don't have to talk to me if you don't want to! Find some other girl who'll listen to your whining!" She snapped and moved to get up, but Draco sat up and grabbed her wrist.

"Pansy, don't leave me!" Draco whined, still with a hold on Pansy's wrist.

She rolled her eyes and relaxed so that he would let go. Her expression softened "Draco you need someone to talk to... at least try."

She sat down then threw something at some hufflepuff 1st year, who gave her a scared look and ran away. They were followed by Potter and Weasley whom of which she proceeded to laugh at.

Draco hesitated before he changed the subject, “you know maybe if we stopped bullying people they wouldn’t hate us as much.”

Pansy looked at him, dumbfounded. “You want us to stop bullying people.”

“Yes.”

“You who used to take the greatest joy in making hufflepuffs cry. Want. To stop. Bullying,” Pansy still looked gobsmacked.

Draco shrugged uncomfortably. “Just a thought…”

Pansy shook her head, her expression changed back to concerned. “I just don’t understand you anymore.”

“Sorry?”

“I mean you aren’t eating-

“Thanks, I’ve noticed” Draco interrupted before Pansy glared at him then continued.

“You’re barely talking and now you want us to _stop bullying_??? I realized that your mother’s disappearance was affecting you, but I didn’t realize it was this bad.” Draco winced at the mention of his mother and looked around, paranoid that someone was listening.

“I need to get to potions,” Draco said suddenly before jumping up with Pansy yelling in annoyance from behind him.

“Draco! Draco wait!” Pansy was trying to follow him but Draco was too fast for her.

 

Draco was uncomfortable throughout all of potions remembering his conversation with Pansy. Slughorn seemed as if he didn’t know how to treat Draco, which didn’t make him feel any better. Granger and Potter made it so that Draco went relatively ignored until it was time for Slughorn to check their potions; then Slughorn awkwardly told him his brew was near perfect, which, of course, Draco knew. Instead of saying that he knew like he usually would have, he just thanked Slughorn, which caused the entire room of students to just stare at him in awe. In response Draco did the only thing he could do and scowled at his classmates which caused them all to look almost comfortable again.

After potions was over, Draco headed back to the dormitories and some 3rd year pushed him, knocking all of his books out of his hands, and said “stupid death eater” his friends followed in suit saying, “you clearly don’t belong here” “join Voldemort, where you belong.”

Draco shakily picked up up all of his stuff, stuffing it all in his open bag.

Draco returned to his dorm feeling even worse than he did before and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

When Draco got in the shower he immediately collapsed in a corner under the steaming water, and began to sob. His shoulders shook so hard he had to hold himself to keep from screaming. When Draco finally got around to actually washing his body, his hands were shaking so hard that he kept dropping the soap on the shower floor causing a clatter so loud it seemed as though the entire school should be able to hear it.

Images from the previous night’s nightmares played on repeat in his mind.

Pictures of his mother being captured, locked in a dark cell, alone and afraid. Draco imagined her being tortured and screaming, desperate for help, calling out Draco and his father’s names. Different dreams contained even more suffering for his mother and Draco’s worry to drastically increase. The dreams later in the night always consisted of her bleeding and/or screaming and Draco could never save her. He tried to call out to her, run to her, or help her, but he knew it wasn’t real and he couldn’t see her in real life nor knew what was truly happening, but not knowing anything made him even more afraid.   

 

When Draco left the shower he felt incredibly nauseous and had a horrible headache. His limbs felt like they were made of lead and he barely had the energy to move.

He slowly wrapped a towel around his waist and returned to his shared room.

 

…

 

Harry was confused by his potions class. How Malfoy looked hurt for a split second after he thanked Slughorn for his compliment. Harry hadn’t really thought anything of it, but it was the first topic of conversation when he Ron and Hermione met in the after class.

“I can’t believe he actually was polite to a teacher,” Ron whispered when they met in the hall.

“Who?” Harry asked. Hermione and Ron looked shocked. “You of all people should know who. In fact, I’m surprised you weren’t as shocked as us,” Hermione replied.

Harry shrugged. “People change.”

Ron and Hermione gave him another look of confusion before Ron asked Hermione to do his homework, which was just as fruitless as it had been all 6 other years at Hogwarts. When they returned to the common room, after promises to meet in the hall in 20 minutes, they all went their separate ways.

 

When Harry returned to his room he immediately laid on his bed, not to nap or anything, just stare at the ceiling and ponder life. He was in mid-though when the bathroom door swung open to reveal Malfoy looking dreadful.

His eyes were red and puffy, like he must’ve been crying, his skin was even more white than usual- almost gaunt-, and his porcelain skin was exposed revealing the scars that scattered his torso. Without loose robes and thick clothing, it was clear that he was frighteningly thin, as if he’d barely been eating, each individual rib was able to be seen.

When Harry sat up he could’ve sworn that he had seen Malfoy jump.

Without even thinking Harry blurted out “have you been eating?” When Harry asked this he looked startled almost glad, and Harry wondered how often he’d been asked about his health before.

However, his happiness only lasted a short time before he buried it and snarled back, “what do you care?”

“Please I’m only trying to help you, I just… I know what it’s like to feel alo-”

Malfoy scowled and spat- interrupting Harry-, “wouldn’t you like to know, saint Potter.”

“I was just trying to help!” Harry snapped back.

“SHUT UP! You don’t know what it’s like to be me you don’t know anything about me! Stop trying to play the hero for people who don’t want saving!” Malfoy looked distressed, but also angry.

“You could at least try to get help,” Harry snapped back.

“Next time I need your help, which will be never, I’ll be sure to immediately come crying to savior of the wizarding-world and chosen one like the rest of your damn fool followers,” Malfoy hissed in return his voice venomous and oozing sarcasm. Their voices gradually raised as the conversation went on.

“Well next time I try to help someone it won’t be an ungrateful death eater who only has one friend!” Harry was at a yell. Malfoy was looking at Harry with a look of hurt; Malfoy looked as if he’d been slapped across the face. Harry realized that his comment had gone to far. Even for an enemy.

They just stared at each other for a minute and then, breaking the long silence, Harry spoke, “Alright then…” Harry replied and then shut the door to their room and went down the stairs.

 

Harry could hardly stop himself through dinner from thinking about Malfoy’s naked torso and his clearly visible ribs. When Harry looked over at the Slytherin table Malfoy was lightly touching his food. Harry almost got up and went over to him but internally kicked himself because he knew that he would not be greeted welcomingly.

Harry was almost angry with himself; after all of the things that Malfoy had done to Harry and his friends he had begun feeling _sorry_ for the disgusting prat. Harry shook his head and continued to furiously munch on his roll.

“Harry, Harry!” Harry was staring into space when Hermione shook him.

“Sorry,” Harry muttered. Hermione sighed and just shook her head.

“You need to stop thinking about it, you know,” Hermione said.

“Thinking about what?” Harry was scared that she’d figured out that he’d been thinking about Malfoy all of dinner. She was very perceptive.

“The war,” she replied while Harry- thankfully- restrained himself from letting out a relieved sigh, “I know you had the worst time in the war and it must be really hard on you. You shouldn’t dwell on it.”

Harry didn’t actually know how to respond and instead just nodded and followed Hermione and Ron into the hallway.

 

When Harry returned to his room, after having a small welcoming party in the common room with all the returning Gryffindors (Neville, Seamus, Dean, Ron, Hemione etc.), Malfoy seemed to be asleep, and Harry put on his pyjamas before settling in bed to sleep. That was when the crying and screaming started. At first Harry thought that he was already asleep, and maybe dreaming about one of his old scenarios with Voldemort, but when he opened his eyes Malfoy was sitting up in his bed panting. This happened about 3 or 4 more times before Harry decided to go downstairs and sit in the common room, maybe he’d get some quiet there. Harry was sitting curled up on the couch when he fell asleep.

 

…

 

“Draco!” his mother cried as an invisible man cast the cruciatis curse again. Draco had seen people being tortured before, at some point he even became numb to it, but this, in these dreams he felt like he was being tortured too. His mother’s pain caused Draco more pain than he ever could imagine. Draco tried to move, but it was as if he was chained to the walls. All he could do was call out to her. He screamed as they cast curses and torturous spells. Draco began to sob. He could feel his body shaking. He heard them cast the killing curse but before it hit his mother Draco was awake, screaming. That night he had woken up at least 5 times, he didn’t know ,though, since he wasn’t counting. The last time he woke up he checked his watch, and it was 4 am, Draco weighed his options and decided that it was probably better for him to stay awake. Draco got dressed and started working on his potions homework. He had completed the assignment by breakfast.

Draco decided to skip breakfast and instead went outside to the lake to read. He started reading a book on the History of Potions (volume 113). It wasn’t too long before Pansy found him, and hit him over the head with his copy of History of Potions (volume 114).

Draco glared up at her. “The hell was that for?” Draco growled.

“For not being at breakfast, idiot,” Pansy said as she hit him again then sat down.

“Ok, ok, sorry, I’ll be at lunch,” Draco replied in hopes of making her go away so he could finish his book.

“Do you need to talk about anything?” Pansy asked with concern.

Draco sighed, though he knew that she wouldn’t have gone away. “Don’t you have anything better to do, something that’s not pestering me?” he said with raised eyebrows.

Pansy huffed, “honestly why do I even try with you?”

“Try what?”

“Being your friend, you prat! All I want is to help you feel better, to make you feel less alone but all you do is treat me like shite! I’m tired of it! If you decide you actually want to be my friend just ask, but otherwise you don’t belong in my life anymore Draco!” when Draco looked up at Pansy she was crying.

Draco wanted to say something before she ran away but he had no idea what. All he knew was that his already miserable life had just gotten worse. Draco was alone.     


	2. Stalking and Sulking, Among Other Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to warn there is an OC (and a rather important character) who's introduced in this chapter because I wanted to rep hufflepuff B) I'm just warning in advance, but please give her a chance and continue reading... Thank you!

Draco had stayed in the library all day on Wednesday of that week, skipping transfigurations and divination (which he honestly seriously didn’t understand why he had taken considering how much he hated the bloody class). When he walked out of the library at precisely 9 o’clock (when it closed) he was immediately pushed to the floor and kicked in the ribs.

“Take that you damn death eater!”

“Why don’t you go crying to your mum?” some ravenclaws that pushed him down taunted. Before they’d mention his mother Draco just took the beating, they weren’t worth it, and though he had a quite low pain tolerance somehow he almost felt as if he deserved it, but before Draco could stand up and deliver a blow, he heard a girl’s voice.

“Stop! What makes you think this is ok?” He looked up to see a hufflepuff: a short, asian girl with her hair pulled back in a ponytail.

 “He’s a death eater!” the ravenclaws replied, looking down at Draco in disgust.

“So? He’s a person? He has feelings? So scram before I get a teacher,” the girl said and pointed for them to go to their common room. Then her expression softened as she turned towards Draco. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine and I didn’t need you help, I had it under control,” Draco snapped.

“Yeah, clearly,” the girl snorted. Before holding out her hand to help him up, which Draco pushed away while he stood and brushed himself off. “My name is Mary-Anne Park, I’m a 6th year, and if they bother you again just let me know,” the girl said, and kept her hand out for him to shake.

Draco looked at her hand in disgust, “I don’t need help from hufflepuffs,” he snarled.

She didn’t look offended, just irritated. “I’m gonna help you anyway, but whatever I guess,” she replied as she left, with a wave.

 

The next day, Thursday started with Draco sitting in bed with the curtains closed, reading the 114th volume of History of Potions. He was still stuck on the girl from the day before, who’d probably saved him from a detention (because it’s obviously always the death eater’s fault). He kept wondering why. Why would anyone rescue him? Then he remembered that Pansy would’ve and his heart hurt. She was his only friend, thanks to the absence of Crabbe and Blaise’s decision over the summer that he was better off making other friends. Draco put his book down so that he wouldn’t get his book wet and hugged himself before he started crying again. He felt ashamed. Ashamed that he’d become so fragile, ashamed of being more soft, ashamed of crying, of breaking, of losing his pride. All Draco had to do was pretend, but he had found out while trying that he was a truly terrible actor.  

When Draco had finished wallowing in his self-pity, he dried his tears with a quick spell and headed to the library where he was met by they small hufflepuff girl who had helped him the day prior. He tried to go around her, and ignore her, but she followed him to the table where he opened his copy of the 114th History of Potions yet again, the library was a lot easier to concentrate at, being that he wasn’t alone in his thoughts. “Do you need something, Park?” Draco whispered, not even looking up from his book. She had sat across from Draco when he had chosen his seat.

“Just a friend,” she said then added quickly, “you look like you could use one too.”

“I’m not interested in your pity nor your friendship, so if you would kindly sod off,” Draco still remained with eyes glued to his book.

“You don’t have to be interested, but I’m here and you have no friends, so you’re going to have to deal with it,” Park said frankly.

Draco finally looked up from his book, “how do you know that I have no-

“Everyone knows, Malfoy, and you don’t exactly make your sulking discreet,” Park pointed out with a small laugh.

Draco glared at her, then looked back down at his book, hoping that she’d go away if he ignored her. She didn’t.

After about an hour of Park just sitting across from Draco and staring, Draco finally shut his book and got up from his seat to walk away. Park immediately sprung up and followed him. “What do I have to do to get you to go away?” Draco sighed, not even looking back at her as she followed him outside, which was significantly gloomier than days prior.

“Talk to me. More than just being annoyed,” Park replied as Draco sat down under his usual tree.

“I don’t even know you,” Draco said. Which was clearly a mistake.

“Ok, I’m a prefect, my grades are way worse than my parents would like, I wish I could play quidditch but brooms hate me, I have a cat who I named Squirtle, my favorite color’s yellow, and have 1 friend, another hufflepuff name Bailey,” she gushed.

Draco started laughing in spite of himself.

“What??” Park looked pleased but also mildly offended.

“What the in hell of a name is Squirtle?”

“Oh that? I’m a half-blood, it’s a muggle thing,” she replied, laughing a little herself.

Draco straightened up, and tried to clear his expression, trying to read his book again.

“What about you?” Park replied.

Draco was unsure what she asking but responded, “pure-blood, of course, and wanting to be left alone.”

Park just shrugged, but remained beside him under a tree as it began to rain.

 

…

 

Harry was, again, thinking about Draco Malfoy.

He had, according to Hermione, skipped two entire days of class, and if Harry wasn't worried before, he was certainly worried now. Harry sighed, resisting the temptation to start banging his head on his desk in the middle of Charms which (he was quite certain) would not make Professor Flitwick very pleased.

Harry felt so stupid for thinking about him and knew that Malfoy didn't want his pity or concern.

Harry was quite happy as they were dismissed for their first weekend of the school year, and was still in deep thought when he ran straight into a sobbing Ron in the halls. Hermione who was next him, was obviously resisting the urge to laugh.

"Why are you sobbing?" Harry asked, although was unsure whether or not he actually wanted an answer.

"That stupid-" Ron gasped for air, "-bastard put something in my water last night and now and now I-" he paused to breathe again"-can't stop crying."

Harry couldn't help but start to laugh.

"It's not-" Ron gasped "-funny!"

Hermione who was resisting the urge to laugh was now also laughing historically. Once Harry and Hermione had stopped laughing Hermione spoke, "but in all seriousness you probably need to speak to Professor Slughorn."

"You don't-" Ron sobbed "-say!"

They all then turned and headed to the potions professor's classroom, trying to steady Ron, who was now bawling even harder than before.

 

After Harry had left Hermione with Ron in professor Slughorn’s care. He decided to try and find Malfoy. Harry knew many of Malfoy’s regular hangouts, due to previous experience in stalking him.  He first checked the library, then the dungeons (mainly the potions room, which had a class of first years so that was immediately out), then outside where he struck gold: Malfoy was sitting under a tree in the pouring rain, beside a petite hufflepuff girl. Harry stood behind a pillar for about an hour watching them; Malfoy was reading and the hufflepuff girl was switching between looking around anxiously and staring at him. Harry wondered what their relationship was. They obviously weren’t friends because the times the girl tried to talk to Malfoy, he just ignored her. After about an hour, Malfoy stood and ran towards the door. Harry wondered why he didn’t use an umbrella charm or drying spells when he got to the door, but guessed that he just wasn’t thinking about it or didn’t get enough sleep to consider it. When Malfoy reached the door he was so soaked by the rain that his white dress-shirt was transparent and clung to his ribs.

Malfoy looked down at himself and cursed, he held his book in one hand and his robes in the other, and used the robe-holding hand to open the door inside to the inside of the school. Harry waited for a bit after the door had closed to follow Malfoy into the building, where he immediately headed to their shared dormitory to- Harry assumed- shower. Harry sat in the common room, pretending to be taking a nap until Malfoy emerged about 2 hours later, Harry waited again to continue to follow him, this time it was to the library.

Harry stood behind a bookshelf staring at Malfoy for awhile, and noticed more things about Malfoy: he looked around nervously about every 2 seconds (nothing new but still something), he read very quickly (finished a whole book in a couple of hours), he never stopped tapping his foot as if he were waiting for something, and he kept touching his hair (again what looked to be a nervous habit).

After a while Harry decided he’d seen enough and retreated the common room, where Hermione and Ron were waiting anxiously. “Where have you been?” Hermione asked Harry irritably.

“Uh… so here’s the thing… I was watching Malfoy,” Harry replied sheepishly.

“Why? Is he up to something again?” Ron interjected as Harry sat down across from them.

“Not exactly…” Harry then began to explain that Malfoy hadn’t been eating and his screaming in his sleep and the fact that he seemed to have 1 friend: Pansy Parkinson, who he hadn’t seen with Malfoy at all that day.

“Well it isn’t as if he wasn’t a skinny bloke before the war, so why are you worried about it now? In fact, why would you be worried about the git at all?” Ron said.

“Also hardly a week into school, could he just be adjusting?” Hermione suggested.

Harry shook his head, “no there’s something very wrong and I’m gonna find out what.”

“Harry you can’t let this consume your whole life,” Hermione looked concerned as she said this.

“Yeah mate, this can’t be like last time,” Ron added gravely.

Harry knew they were right, and he also knew that he couldn’t help letting his curiosity consume him. It was just too tempting.

 

…

 

Draco was glad it was Friday, because he didn’t have to worry about skipping any classes because he had none. He was feeling rather content reading a book on the roots of a tree outside (he couldn’t sit on the ground because it was disgustingly wet) when an owl swooped down and dropped a note onto his lap.

He tore open the letter. It read:

_Mr. Draco Malfoy,_

_It has not gone unnoticed that you have been skipping classes. My office. Immediately._

_Minerva McGonagall_

Draco sighed and stood, dragging himself to the headmistresses’ office. He stood under the stone gargoyle waiting for the headmistress to come and get him, once it spun away it revealed a very angry looking professor McGonagall, standing at the top of the moving spiral staircase. “This way Mr. Malfoy,” she turned and opened the door to her office Draco trailing behind. “I assume you understand why I’ve called you here?”

Draco bit his cheek to avoid saying anything stupid, and just nodded before the headmistress continued:

“You may be expelled if you continue this behavior; which seems out of character might I add. Is there something that you wish to tell me about?”

Draco continued biting his cheek as he shook his head no, thoughts of the summer already threatening to take over his mind again.

“If you can promise that you will not continue to miss classes, I will not expel you. And I know you understand what expulsion entails…”

Draco gulped in terror remembering the conditions from his trial: he must finish school. He nodded.

“However it is my duty to enforce the rules; 20 points will be taken from slytherin,” house points didn’t matter so much to Draco seeing as everyone hated him anyway.

“You are free to go now,” McGonagall released him with a wave, and he ran down the steps as quickly as he possibly could.

As he emerged from the office he felt the tightening that was previously gripping his chest loosen, and his stomach let out a loud growl. Cursing at his body, Draco wondered if he would be able to get some food from the kitchens, frowned in remembrance that he wouldn’t be welcomed, and instead went up to his room to lie in bed and think.

Draco was just tired, not in the literal sense (well yeah that too) but tired of being around a bunch of students who only hated him and he was tired of ignoring them. Why did it have to be him? Why couldn’t they have picked some other Slytherin to pick on; Draco wasn’t the only one who fought for the dark lord. His life was hard enough as it was.

Draco was half asleep when Potter barged into his (their) room. Potter looked almost startled when Draco sat up.

“Oh you’re here,” he breathed, as if he’d been running.

“Is that a problem? Seeing as this is my room too,” Draco said icily.

“Uh… No, I suppose not,” Potter responded with a nervous laugh. Draco scowled at him and then laid back down. For some reason, he then quickly fell asleep.

 

Draco was relieved by the fact that it was Saturday, though again, he felt as if he hadn’t slept at all. Draco decided that he should probably send another letter to the ministry, perhaps even try sending an owl to the minister himself (Wallow was his name), but was quite hesitant in doing so. Instead he wrote another pleading letter to the auror’s office and immediately afterwords took a shower. Pleading like a damn fool made him feel disgusting, but Draco guessed that that would be the only way he could convince them to actually try to look for his missing mother. It had taken Draco some time to actually shake off his pride and beg.

His guess was, of course, correct. The auror’s office at the ministry sent him a letter on Sunday evening:

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_We at the ministry wish to apologize for any distress or confusion we might have caused you by missing your letters, it is quite possible that they had been misplaced and I personally wish to investigate my employees’ incompetence in this regard. I will form a team of agents and file a missing person report, though usually it is more difficult to find missing persons after they have been missing for more than 24 hours we will do our best._

_We apologize once again for any inconveniences,_

_Head Auror_

_Kingsley Shacklebolt_

The letter seemed sincere enough, and Draco was glad to have finally gotten somewhere with someone from the ministry. 

Draco was actively avoiding the great hall when the large owl came swooping down to where he was in the grass, looking at all the homework he’d gotten from Blaise, who had become an uncomfortable acquaintance (didn’t want to be associated with a death eater but was still friendly enough). Draco hadn’t eaten for 3 days and though he had been on-again off-again not eating, his stomach was making all sorts of strange noises. So that night he went to the great hall at the very last minute, and was caught by none-other than Mary-Anne Park who was sitting at the hufflepuff table. She had the nerve to _wave_ at Draco, and he immediately scowled at her. Then the bitch got up and started walking towards Draco, saying by to her hufflepuff friend who waved and glanced wearily at him.  She proceeded to sit down at the slytherin table.

“What are you doing?” Draco said.

“Sitting,” Park replied replied and started piling some deserts onto the plate in front of her.

Draco’s eyes narrowed, “ _at the slytherin table_. Why?”

She paused from putting food onto her plate and raised an eyebrow. “Because your table is empty besides you and you looked lonely,” she said and started to eat her 3 cakes and slice of pie.

Draco glared at her, “I don’t need your pity, Park.”

Then she laughed. She fucking _laughed_. Once she calmed herself down and looked at the seething Draco she wiped her eyes and simply replied, “you clearly need a friend, and people aren’t exactly lining up.”

“Not from you,” Draco replied.

“Until I see you with someone else I’m going to continue to bug you, so deal with it,” Park snapped and then stabbed one of her cakes.

So then she just started talking about her day, and her life in general. Draco, although annoyed and tired, as well as itching to do homework, stayed and listened for some reason. He never replied to her stories or looked at her, and instead focused on his chicken and bread, pretending to ignore her. The truth was that Draco had missed listening to someone, even after only a couple of days of losing Pansy’s friendship. Draco shook away the thought.

“… so Jiwoo was in ravenclaw, that my oldest brother, finished school my first year, while Ethan, my twin brother’s in gryfindor, mum said that she wants my little sister Katy to be in slytherin so she can have the full set.” While Park was laughing when Draco finally decided to get up and leave

“Oh, you’re leaving? See you around?” Park got up almost as if to stop him but then let Draco go.

 

…

 

Harry followed Malfoy from outside to the great hall, where Malfoy sat alone for a short while, and then was joined by the hufflepuff girl again, but he was clearly agitated by her presence. Malfoy was pretending to be fascinated by his plate (which only contained a small piece of chicken and a piece of bread), while the hufflepuff girl talked. He let her talk for about 20 minutes then got up and left the table, leaving her looking confused but not surprised.

Harry hid behind a knight as Malfoy came out of the great hall muttering about stupid hufflepuffs and damn nuisances.

As Harry followed Malfoy to the dungeons he hid behind pillars and knights. And one particular knight he ended up running straight into while watching Malfoy, who immediately spun around. Harry tried to act coy, as if he just happened to be on the way to the dormitories too.

Malfoy looked at Harry for a minute, his stone gray eyes narrowing, and then turned back around and continued on towards the dormitories.

Harry followed and found Ron and Hermione waiting for him in the common room. Harry sat across from them. “We missed you at dinner, Harry,” Hermione said, a hint of suspicion in her voice.

“Yeah, where were you, mate?” Ron added.

Harry felt himself flush, then looked around the room, to see if there was anyone else within earshot. Before he got the chance to speak, Hermione did, “don’t tell me you’ve been following,” she looked around too then whispered, “Malfoy, again?”

Harry nodded sheepishly. His friends rolled their eyes.

“It’s just there’s something going on… I can feel it,” Harry said.

Hermione was shaking her head, “the war’s over, what more could he possibly be up to?”

“It’s not that, it’s like… I don’t know… But something weird is going on.”

They both gave him a funny look. Hermione and Ron then started talking about homework and Harry decided to head to bed.

 


	3. Learning Experiences

Draco knew that he was being stalked. Potter was being clumsy and stupid and Draco could practically feel the eyes boring through him wherever he was. The question was whether or not to confront Potter about it. Draco decided that it was better to just avoid the subject and let Potter do whatever the hell he wanted, no matter how annoying. September rolled into October and Draco still felt the eyes on him wherever he went. At least at this point Draco was able to focus on schoolwork (grudgingly he had now only missed three whole days’ worth of class and had been in perfect attendance every other time).

One late October night Draco was feeling particularly tired (he’d only gotten 2 hours of sleep according to his watch) he felt Potter’s eyes on the back of his head and finally decided.

“Do you mind?” Draco spoke. He was met with silence. Pretending to be asleep? We’ll see about that.

“Didn’t your mum ever teach you stalking’s rude Potter, or did she skip out on that lesson?” Draco could feel Potters anger, despite Draco’s back being turned towards the wall.  “Of course famous Potter wouldn’t care about committing crimes would he? You do know stalking’s a crime don’t you? Or do saint Potter’s rules ignore the real law, and ignore the law’s application to lowly death eaters such as myself? Of course with the company you keep I’d be surprised if you kept any rules at all. Mudbloods and traiters alike,” Draco said in a disgusted tone. However, he meant not a single word of it. He’d learned that despite her blood status Granger had been cleverer than any death eater Draco ever knew (who threw a mean punch), and Weasley brave (though quick to anger). Draco knew that Potter would do anything for them. For some reason Draco always liked making Potter angry, it was also a great talent of his.

He could hear Potter get out of bed. Soon he was standing in front of Draco eyes blazing.

“I can’t believe I actually thought that you were suffering. I can’t believe I ever pitied a foul person like yourself. I can’t believe that I actually thought something terrible had happened to you,” Potter’s voice was filled with frustration and anger.

“Other than being put in a room with you, what could possibly be wrong with me?” Draco raised an eyebrow as if he didn’t understand exactly what Potter was getting at, though he was surprised that Potter wasn’t suspicious but truly concerned.

Potter glared at him then snarled, “let’s see… you think all others are beneath you, you constantly berate and belittle those who you see as inferior, which is, pretty much everyone and you behave with the same snobbish attitude as your horrible parents.”

At the mention of his parents Draco felt his eyes widen in shock. Somehow it stung so much to have all the painful memories of losing his mother and father over the summer thrown back at him. He now understood.

“Oh…” he whispered and looked down at his bed sheets as if they were fascinating.

“So you can dish it out but you can’t take it. I hope you rot Malfoy.” Potter slammed the door to their room on his way out. For the first time in his life someone had made Draco feel truly sorry.

 

…

 

Harry was cursing to himself as he went down the stairs to his common room. He was angry that he’d ever thought that Malfoy was hurting or in trouble. He’s probably just up to no good. According to Hermione Harry wasn’t even decent at reading people. With Malfoy he was right the first time, but nobody can always be right.

When Harry got down to the common room Ron and Hermione were sitting side by side holding hands and whispering. Both of them looked up when Harry slammed himself into his favorite chair and buried his head in his hands, he wanted to rip his hair out he felt so stupid.

“Is everything alright, mate?” Ron asked tentatively.

Harry sighed into his hands and then looked at his friends. “Fine, fine, just got into an argument with Malfoy.”

Ron’s face twisted in disgust, “always the same, the slimy git.”

Harry nodded and begun to explain their argument- in a hushed voice so the other people who were up late studying couldn’t hear-, how Malfoy had caught Harry staring and proceeded to mention Harry’s parents for the hundredth bloody time.

When Harry had finished Hermione spoke, “you know you shouldn’t have bothered with him in the first place, he’s never going to change.”

"Heart as black as they come, that one," Ron added. 

“I realize that,” Harry replied tartly.

 Harry leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling and before he knew it Harry fell into a deep sleep.

 

Harry continued to stare at Malfoy throughout their classes, but with renewed hatred. Malfoy was only showing any real interest in potions, and in every other class that they had together, Harry noticed, he was either dozing off or paying attention to anything but class. Malfoy also ate only about 3 times a week, always separated and it seemed as if he were ashamed of himself for eating every time that he did. The Tuesday after Harry’s argument with Malfoy, Harry was sitting in the library watching Malfoy (who was studying) while simultaneously trying (and failing) to finish the report for transfiguration that was due the next day, when Luna and Ginny came over and sat beside him.

Harry raised an eyebrow as he looked at the 2 girls who were sitting very close together, holding hands as Harry had seen Ron and Hermione do many times before.

Ginny spoke hesitantly, “we have something to tell you… I know our breakup was hard for you so I wanted to make sure that you didn’t hear it from someone else…” her voice trailed off before Luna spoke, “We’re together.”

“You’re what?” Harry was shocked, he’d known that they’d been inseparable since 5th year but until now he had never thought anything of it.

Luna started to repeat, “We’re togeth-”

“Yeah I heard you the first time, just surprised, is all, but is this why you broke up with me? You’re a lesb-” this time Harry was the one that got interrupted.

“Bisexual, actually, and I’m surprised you didn’t know considering you are too,” Ginny replied with slight irritation in her voice.

“What’s that?” Harry asked.

“Means you fancy both sexes,” she stated nonchalantly.

Harry couldn’t think of what to say for a minute so just sat there gaping at her. “I-I am not!”

“Oh please, Harry don’t even try to hide it, I’ve seen the way you look at blokes, and that is not the way a straight person looks at them, trust me.”

Harry was again unsure of what to say, and so just sat there looking dumbfounded.

“Well thank you for not over-reacting, we’ll see you around. Okay?” Ginny said quickly, as she and Luna got up and left the library.

Harry nodded in response and swallowed thickly. “Me? Bisexual?” He whispered to himself.

He forgot about watching Malfoy and wasted the entire time until the library closed pondering his newfound discovery of his sexuality, and the more he thought about it the more it made sense. The thought was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. He knew he had to tell Ron and Hermione, but he wasn’t sure how. He felt the pit of his stomach twisting. What if they said he was confused? What if they wrote it off as just some teenage phase or judged him for it? Harry knew they wouldn’t do any of those things but fear made him think them anyway.

Harry returned to the common room with the weight of his newly discovered sexuality heavy on his chest.

Ron and Hermione were studying together in the common room per usual, and Harry suddenly felt the pit in his stomach drop lower. He tried to hurry to the dorms, but Ron and Hermione saw him.

“Oi! Harry!” Ron called Harry over. Harry wanted to go to his room, curl up into a ball and sleep, but he knew he couldn’t ignore his friends.

Harry slowly moved across the room to his favorite chair and sat down.

Hermione and Ron were both looking at Harry with great concern. “Harry are you all right?”

Harry sighed, he knew that ‘I’m fine’ wouldn’t cut it. He’d have to tell them. Harry could feel himself shaking. He could tell them about horcruxes and bring them on death-defying journeys but it was hard for Harry to tell them he was bisexual?  

“I have to tell you guys something…” Harry started nervously.

Ron nodded, “go on.”

“Imbisexual,” Harry said quickly.

“What?”

“I’m bisexual,” he reiterated slowly.

“Oh that’s what you said,” Ron said, a look of relief on his and Hermione’s face, “welcome to the club, mate.”

Harry was shocked, “what??”

Hermione spoke, “first off, you can’t believe that we didn’t already know, and secondly, Ron’s known himself for ages,” she paused, “I’m surprised he didn’t tell you.”

“I thought I had,” Ron replied with a shrug.

“When?” Harry felt incredibly relieved that his friend had already trusted him with such a difficult thing to say, and guilty that he had forgotten.

"Well… Not directly, but straight people don’t usually call blokes hot, do they?” Ron said bemusedly.

“Fair enough,” Harry shrugged.

Ron, Harry and Hermione ended up staying up way too late into the night talking. Mostly Harry and Ron conversing about their shared sexuality, and Hermione getting annoyed because she was trying to study.

When Harry finally returned to his shared room Malfoy was sitting on his bed reading a book, which Harry couldn’t make out in the low light. Malfoy glared at Harry as he walked in.

“What were you doing out so late?” Malfoy was looking at Harry with what seemed to be a great amount of disdain.

“Oh? Are you my babysitter now?” Harry snapped back. It was bad enough that he had to come into a room occupied by his least favorite person, but for him to actually talk to him made it even worse. Harry found the month where they just ignored each other to be much more preferable.

“I didn’t know you needed a babsitter? Though it makes sense, you’re childish enough,” Malfoy was smirking at Harry, his book in his lap.

“Shut up Malfoy.”

“Feisty, are we?”

“ _Shut up_ , Malfoy.” Harry repeated. While simultaneously trying to change and get to sleep as quickly as possible. 

“Of course you never have put up much of a fight, you know with your friends fighting your battles for you and all,” Malfoy said. Harry was doing his best not to give him the satisfaction of a response. “So I see you hadn’t given up on stalking me, not that it matters, but it’s so sad you still continue after confrontation. I was under the impression that you were ‘hoping I rot’ or were those just words?”

Harry gritted his teeth before he finally spoke, “I do hope you rot, but I also don’t want you to do something that puts the people I love in danger again.”

“Oh? I promise if I had intended to harm you or your little friends I would have done so already,” Malfoy stood up as he said this.

“Probably not because you’re a bloody coward,” Harry retorted. Malfoy shoved him. Harry stumbled a bit, but besides that the shove was ineffective.

“Not pulling out your wand? Pushing seems un-magical for a pureblood elitist like yourself,” Harry said in response to the push.

"I've had more important things to think about," Malfoy replied.

"Like what?"

"Nothing the likes of you needs to know."

"Fitting for scum like yourself to think he's so great that there's no need to focus on self-improvement."

"That's not-"

"What is it then Malfoy?" Harry growled under his breath, he was so close to Malfoy there noses were almost touching. 

"My mother's missi-"Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.  

“What? Is that why you’ve been acting differently?”

 

…

 

Draco felt mortified. Now his enemy new his best-kept secret that only 1 other person knew (Pansy).

“Malfoy? That’s what’s wrong, isn’t it?” Potter looked concerned now, and Draco realized that there were tears streaming down his face.

“Just leave me alone,” Draco turned his back to Potter. He wanted to die, he just wished he could take it back and return to insults and rage.

“No,” Potter replied firmly. But Draco did _not_ want the conversation to continue.

Draco ran to the bathroom, locked himself inside and begun to sob harder. Of all the people in the world to find out it had to be the damn chosen one. Draco was certain the whole school would find out in the next week.

 

A week came and went and everything was still normal, it was as if nothing had ever happened. Potter hadn’t told anyone. Which, frankly, Draco thought was odd. Suspicious even.

Draco was sitting in the library doing his homework for potions (the only class he even remotely cared about) when Mary Anne Park sat down next to him. “How’s your day been?” She asked as she threw her stuff down.

“Peachy,” Draco grumbled, but this grumpy exterior was mostly a façade, for Draco had actually started to think she was alright, one might say she had become his friend, even.

“I haven’t heard anything about you-know-what yet, so don’t worry,” Mary Anne whispered with a small smile. Draco had been waiting for Potter to break the news to the school, so he had told her about his mother’s disappearance (because merlin forbid she found out from anyone else). She was comforting, but also didn't push him for more information. Draco surprised himself in that he had become almost glad he had told her. Draco could feel the glares he got from other slytherins every time he was around Mary Anne, probably because she was a hufflepuff, but at some point his reputation stopped mattering much to Draco, after all, it couldn’t really get any worse.

As time went on Draco slowly started to drift off and it was only when the library started to close that Draco realized that Mary Anne had left (probably had gone to eat), so Draco exited the library alone. Draco was surprised and annoyed to run into none other than the bloody chosen one upon exiting the library.

“Listen, Malfoy, we need to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to post (and sorry it's short)! I was on vacation most of the time so please forgive me! Thank you for reading!!


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